MR. ALDERMAN: I am afraid the indication "Obersalzberg' came
from the first document which I have not offered in evidence I have
no doubt that the defendants will admit that Obersalzberg was the
place of this speech. The place is not very significant; it is the
time.

THE PRESIDENT: Very well.

MR. ALDERMAN [Reading]:

"I have called you together to
give you a picture of the political situation, in order that you may
have insight into the individual element on which I base my decision
to act, and in order to strengthen your confidence. After this, we
will discuss military details.

"It was clear to me that a conflict with Poland had to come
sooner or later. I had already made this decision in the
spring."--I interpolate, I think he is there referring to the
May document, which I have already read, L-79.--"But I thought I
would first turn against the West in a few years, and only afterwards
against the East. But the sequence cannot be fixed. One cannot close
one's eyes even before a threatening situation. I wanted to establish
an acceptable relationship with Poland, in order to fight first
against the West, but this plan, which was agreeable to me, could not
be executed, since the essential points have changed.

"It became clear to me that Poland would attack us, in case
of a conflict with the West.

"Poland wants access to the sea.

"The further development became obvious after the occupation
of the Memel region, and it became clear to me that under the
circumstances a conflict with Poland could arise at an inopportune
moment.

"I enumerate as reasons for this reflection, first of all,
two personal constitutions" --I suppose he means
"personalities"; that probably is an inapt
translation--"my own personality, and that of Mussolini.
Essentially, it depends on me, my existence, because of my political
ability."

I interpolate to comment on the tremendous
significance of the fact of a war, which engulfed almost the whole
world, depending upon one man's personality.

"Furthermore, the fact that
probably no one will ever againhave the confidence of the whole
German people as I do.